Animal-trap



( No Model I g W. D. HELTSLEY.

' ANIMAL TRAP.

' No. 886;,009. Patented July 10, 1888.

mvewroz qwi'meooam UNITED STATES,

" ATENT Fries,

\VILLIAM D. HELTS LEY, OF GREENV ILLE, KENTUCKY.

ANIMAL-TRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 386,009, dated July10,1888.

Application filc'd August 11, 1887. Serial No. 246,151. (No model.l

at Grcenville, in the county of Muhlenberg,

State of Kentucky, havcinvented certain new and useful Improvements inSelf i Setting Traps, of which the following is so full, clear, andexact a description as will enable others skilled in the art to which myinvention appertains to make and use the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view ofmy invention, showing the trap sprung. Fig. 2 is a detail view of thepan of the trap, showing the manner of mounting the, same on the frame.Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the trap as it appears when it is set.

In each ofthe accompanying figures, A designates a bar, which is bent upat'B, and to which is secured the pan 0, which is pivoted to the bracket1). Between the bracket D and the vertical arm B, I secure a set-screw,1*), the purpose of which is to gage the eleva tion of the free end ofthe pan when the'trap is set. Beneath the central main portion of thepan (.1 is a spring, F, the purpose of which is to keep the pan normallyhorizontal. The opposite end of the pan is provided with a projection,c, which is adapted to strike against the upper end of the set-screw E,to limit the upward movement of the free end of the pan 0. Above thepivotal point of the pan 0 is a catch, (l, which is adapted to engagewith a, projection, h, on the spring ll, which spring II is rigidlysecured to the post K, and is adapted to encircle the arm l3 and thejaws l1 hwhcn the trap issprung or closed.

will be forced The bar A is provided with a perforation, M, at its cudfor the reception of a chain, N. The jaws [1 L are pivotally secured tothe post K and the arm 'li.

The operation of my device is as follows: lly depressing the free end ofthe spring II itdown into alig'nment'with the main portion of the pan 0.The projection h, as it presses against the curved face 9 of theprojection G, will cause the pan 0 to yield a sntlicicnt distance topermit the projection h to pass the outer limit of the projection G. Thespringf underneath the pan 0 will cause the pan to resume its horizontalposition as soon as the projection it passes below the line of the underside of the projection G, and the trap will be set. By'rclicving thepressure on the outer end of the spring H it will by its own resiliencybear up against the projection G, where it will remain, and the jaws L Lof the trap will drop open, as shown in Fig. 3. The trap can then beplaced in any desired position or location, where it will remain setuntil it is sprung by some foreign obstaclesuch, for instance, as an'animalsl'oot, a birds beak, &c.

Heretofore great difficulty has been experienced in setting traps, as itoften occurs that the trappers fingers are cold, while the trap .may becovered with ice and snow, which will make it extremely slippery anddiliicult to handle. Another decided disadvantage exists in the dangerof the trappers catching his 1111- gers between the jaws of a trap whoseaction is .not automatic.

By the employment of a device such as is described and shown in thisapplication these ditiiculties will be avoided, time will be saved, andthe u'npleasantness connected with the use of a trap which is notautomatic will be greatly lessened.

Having now described the objects, uses, and advantages of my device,what I believe to be new. and desire to secure by Letters Patent 01 theUnited States, and what I. therefore claim,

1. In a trap, the combination of thcjaws, a spring which encircles thesame, and a'pau pivoted to the trap and provided with a catch above theline of the pivotal point of the pan, and a setscrcw betweeniilOlllVOtill point of the pan and the ontcrcnd of the trap,snbstantially as and for the purposes spccilicd.

2. In a trap, thcjaws and main spring pro vided with a projection whichprojects in to ward the pan of the trap, in combination with 3. In atrap of the character-dcscribed, the

ICO

pan pivotaiiysecured to the tran and provided hined to operatesubstantially as duserihmi, with a projection and a set-screw at oneside and for the purposes gpecilied. 10 of the pivotal point, and havinga, spring hei In testimony \vhereol'iaflix mysignni nre in neath the pgmand at the opposite side of the the presence of two witnesses.

pivotal point, in combination with a main \VILLTAM I). TIELTSIIEY.spring for the jaws, and a projection on said \Vilnesses:

main spring for engagement with the catch on 1). 1t. \Vmn, J12,

the pan of the trap, all constructed and cont \VM. H. ll'iuznisox.

